SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Transcription

1 SAILING INSTRUCTIONS Oyster Regatta Palma Sunday 30 th September 2018 to Thursday 4 th October 2018 Hosted by Real Club Náutico de Palma Palma, Mallorca All Regatta times shown are local time Mallorca

2 INTRODUCTION The 41 st Oyster Regatta will be run from Real Club Náutico de Palma and will be the first regatta organised by the new custodian of Oyster Yachts, Richard Hadida. These Sailing Instructions should be used together with the Notice of Race issued for this event. In the event of conflict between the Notice of Race, the Sailing Instructions and the Racing Rules of Sailing, the Sailing Instructions will take precedence. The Sailing Instructions will be available before the first race and will supersede the Notice of Race. Amendments to the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions may be issued during the event, either in writing or by VHF, in which case they will take precedence over all previous instructions. This amends RRS CONTACT NUMBERS General Regatta Enquiries (until 17:00 Friday 28 th September) - UK Nicky Garrett T: +44 (0) E: nicky.garrett@oysteryachts.com A: Oyster Yachts Ltd, Saxon Wharf, Lower York Street, Southampton, SO14 5QF, UK. Principle Race Officer (no calls during racing please) Ben Mobley M: +44 (0) E: ben.mobley@oysteryachts.com International Judge Willii Gohl M: E: williigo@gmx.net General Regatta Enquiries (from 17:00 Friday 28 th September) - Palma Charlie Durham M: E: charlie.durham@oysteryachts.com Berthing Enquiries - Palma Kim Aves T: E: kim.aves@oysteryachts.com Customer Support/Technical Enquiries - Palma Mark Durham M: E: mark.durham@oysteryachts.com Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 2 of 11

3 1. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS Notices to competitors will be announced at the Daily VHF Roll Call (see SI 4 below) and displayed on a noticeboard at RCNP. Please do familiarise yourselves with Figure 5 attached. Entrance and Exit from the Port of Palma is now closely monitored. Please follow instruction if given. 2. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS Any change to the Sailing Instructions, unless issued in writing, will be announced at the Daily VHF Roll Call (see SI 4 below). Changes relating to courses may be announced during the race day and also during racing by VHF. This changes RRS 90.2(c) 3. COMMUNICATIONS The Regatta control frequency is VHF Channel 68. Yachts are requested to maintain a continuous listening watch on VHF Channel 68 from 09:45 hours daily until 30 minutes after finishing the last race of the day. There will be no class flags used during starting sequences or during racing. The committee vessel will display an orange flag. This changes RRS DAILY VHF ROLL CALL & SAIL CHOICES 4.1 The Race Officer, call sign Oyster Race Committee will hold a Daily Roll Call on VHF Channel 68 each morning. This will confirm entries, announce the course(s) for the day and to note individual choices of sails for the day s racing. Sail choice determines the handicaps to be used for the day. 4.2 The procedure is as follows: Time Check (yachts are advised to listen out for 10:00 hrs time check) Race Information - the Race Officer will announce details of the day s sponsor(s), weather, safety and navigation information and the course to be sailed together with any amendments to the Sailing Instructions and the event operations Roll Call - shortly after the details of the course has been announced, the Race Officer will request, by VHF, that each yacht declare her sail configuration for the day. The roll call order may vary daily Sail Choice - The options will be discussed in more detail at the Skippers Briefing, the daily handicaps will be based on one of three sail plan choices, these are confirmed as below. 4.3 Sail Choice White Sails sails designed for sailing close hauled. For example headsails set on standard forestays, including double header/forestays and cutter forestays, together with mainsails, in-mast or boom furled or fully battened. Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 3 of 11

4 This excludes any sail hoisted pre-furled on a removable stay such as a Code Zero. Option A - White Sails plus one off wind sail used with or without a pole. This includes any sail hoisted pre-furled on a removable stay such as a Code Zero. Option B - White Sails plus more than one off wind sail used with or without a pole. This includes any sail hoisted pre-furled on a removable stay such as a Code Zero. 4.4 Sail Choice Notes An off wind sail is defined as a sail designed for hoisting and lowering during sailing and to respond to wind conditions when not sailing close-hauled. This may include symmetric or non-symmetric (asymmetric) spinnaker, cruising chute, MPS or Code Zero sails. A spinnaker staysail is exempt from the list of supplementary sails and may be hoisted and set in Option A together with the chosen off wind sail to comply with this, the staysail must be of a size that it is tacked down to the foredeck well aft of the fixed forestay and is smaller than the standard headsail fitted to the yacht. The Race Committee s decision on what counts as an off wind sail is final and participants are encouraged to seek guidance before racing if there is any doubt. Options A and B will incur a rating penalty and yachts have to decide on a daily basis whether the gain in speed from the use of supplementary sails is worth the increase in the yachts rating. In the event that a yacht selects White Sails or Option A, and then during the race is either seen by the Race Committee (or by other yachts who then advise the Race Committee) to use the wrong sails i.e. use one supplementary sail when White Sails has been chosen or use more than one supplementary sail when Option A has been chosen the correct option will be applied by the Race Committee together with a 20% place penalty. A yacht has the option to take the 20% place penalty and change the selected choice of sails at its discretion during a race, provided the yacht advises the Race Committee by VHF at the time. After the Roll Call has taken place and all yachts have given their sail selection, there will be a short window of grace for about 10 minutes - during which yachts may call the Race Committee by VHF and change their choice once only without penalty. The Race Committee will broadcast by VHF when this window of grace closes. The penalties mentioned in SI 4 change RRS A5 5. SCHEDULE OF RACES & COURSES Racing will take place on four days. Monday 1 st to Thursday 4 th October inclusive Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 4 of 11

5 10:00 - Daily radio and time signal checks 12:30 - approximately - start of racing in Palma Bay 17:00 - approximately - yachts return to berthing If two races are held on the same day, the second race will start as soon as practicable after the last finisher of the first race of that day. The Race Committee will broadcast details by VHF as required. Courses will be announced each day using the laid marks shown in this instruction. Additional moveable marks may also be used for which the VHF will be used to give the positions as required. 6. FLAGS & NOTICE BOARD Other than flags identifying the committee boat and sponsors, no flags will be used for the starting sequence, starting penalties or changes to courses etc. There will be no class flags. This changes RRS 26, 29, 30, and 33. There is an official notice board positioned on the terrace next to the Oyster Lounge at RCNP. Communication may also be by VHF supported by event staff walking the dock to yachts between 0900 and 1000 in the morning see SI 3. Yachts are requested to fly the blue Oyster house flag whilst racing below the starboard spreaders to aid identification by the Regatta Committee. 7. THE START 7.1 Races will be started using RRS 26 (5, 4, 1, GO) with the warning signal made 5 minutes before the first starting signal as per RRS Signals will be given by VHF and air horn. In the event of VHF failure, only the air horn will be used Races will be run using elapsed times between the individual starting time of each class start and a yacht s finish time, corrected by applying handicaps Yachts may be started in class, individually or in small groups. The sequence and starting groups each day may be changed to reflect the finishing results of the previous day(s) races. See SI 7.2 and SI The Committee will announce chosen starting sequence each day by VHF and will endeavor to distribute a printed copy each morning and deliver this to yachts moored on the RCNP Dock. Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 5 of 11

6 7.2 Sequence A Class Start Following a 10-minute warning signal prior to the first start, RRS 26 will be adopted. First Class Start 5 minute warning 4 minute preparatory 1 minute signal 0 minute Starting Signal (10 minute warning for next class) The 10-minute warning signal for the class ahead will be the starting signal for the proceeding class. Second Class Start 5 minute warning 4 minute preparatory 1 minute signal 0 minute Starting Signal (10 minute warning for next class) Third Class Start 5 minute warning 4 minute preparatory 1 minute signal 0 minute Starting Signal 7.3 Sequence B Individual or Small Group Start Following a 10-minute warning signal prior to the first start, RRS 26 will be adopted. First start for an individual yacht or a small group of yachts: First Start 5 minute warning 4 minute preparatory 1 minute signal 0 minute Starting Signal (2 minutes before next start) The second start for another yacht or small group of yachts will be 2 minutes after the starting signal for the first start. The third start for another yacht or small group of yachts will be 2 minutes after the starting signal for the second start, and so on until the last start. Second Start Third Start 2 minutes after first start signal 4 minutes after first start signal Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 6 of 11

7 Fourth Start 6 minutes after first start signal For Sequence B, the Race Officer will announce by VHF which yachts are in which group and in which order they start. The Race Officer will announce each yacht s start time by VHF and provide a countdown between each start. Subject to weather and other conditions on the day, the gap between starts may be altered. The Race Officer, by VHF, will announce any such change. The choice of timing gaps will depend on, amongst other factors, on how square the line is to the course and/or wind and if there is a bias. The Race officer will endeavor to use class starts with groups of yachts for each start, thus reducing the overall number of starts to shorten the time needed for the overall starting sequence. The Race Officer is likely to start yachts individually for safety reasons if weather conditions are unfavorable. The starting sequence will probably be in size or rating order - for example, either smallest or largest first, or fastest or slowest first. Details will be provided by the Race Officer on each day. 7.4 The Starting Line will be between an orange flag on the Committee vessel and the adjacent laid mark, unless otherwise advised by the Race Officer at the Skippers Briefing, in writing or by VHF. 7.5 Yachts in subsequent starts shall keep clear of the starting area until their preparatory signal in order to give space to those preparing to race. 7.6 Yachts are requested to keep out of the box - see attached - after the first warning signal for their Class until the starting signal for the yacht(s) starting ahead of them. 7.7 Yachts in a different Class to the Class in a starting sequence are requested to stay well away from the starting line. 7.8 Please maintain a good watch throughout the racing and especially during the start. 8. CHANGE OF START / SHORTENING COURSES 8.1 Depending on weather conditions, the Race Officer may shorten the course, either by relocating the starting line, by finishing the race at any rounding mark or turning point, or by announcing a new finishing line location. The Race Officer will announce all such changes repeatedly on VHF Channel 68. This amends RRS 27, 32 and The Committee vessel, when on station at a shortened course finishing mark, may also make repetitive sound signals and VHF broadcasts to confirm the change. Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 7 of 11

8 9. THE FINISH The finishing line will be between an orange flag on the Committee vessel and the adjacent laid mark, unless otherwise described by the Race Officer by VHF. After finishing yachts shall clear the finishing line area and keep well clear of all yachts still racing. 10. PENALTY SYSTEM 10.1 RRS Individual Recall - is not in use for this regatta A yacht recorded On the Course Side (OCS = over the line) at the starting signal will be informed of her infringement by the Race Officer on VHF Channel For safety reasons any such yacht should NOT return or attempt to return to the pre-start side of the starting line to restart. Such yachts are requested to follow the verbal instructions of the Race Officer see SI s 10.4 and 10.5 below. This amends RRS 28.1 and A yacht called OCS by the Race Officer shall be given a 20% place penalty in her Class. This changes RRS A Any yacht infringing SI s 10.1 above may incur an additional penalty at the discretion of the Race Officer without a hearing. This amends RRS 63.1 and Appendix A RRS 44 - Penalties at the time of an incident - is amended as follows: For safety reasons RRS 44.1 (Taking a Penalty) and 44.2 (One-Turn and Two-Turns Penalties) shall not apply. In the event of contact between yachts, both yachts shall retire from that race. This amends RRS 44. Rule 44.3 (Scoring Penalties) will apply for RRS31 (Touching a Mark) but the place penalty shall be 20%, to the nearest round number. For safety reasons, yachts that touch a mark should not attempt to do turns, as this will not exonerate the incident. All place penalties such as OCS, touching marks etc covered by the Sailing Instructions shall round up to give the number of places for example, for 7 or 8 yachts in a Class and a DNF score of 8 and 9 respectively, 20% shall mean 2 place penalties rounding up 1.6 and 1.8 both to 2 places respectively Any yacht accepting a penalty for infringement of a rule of Part 2 or RRS31 shall do so by informing the Race Officer via VHF Channel 68 and receiving an acknowledgement. The penalties imposed by the Protest Committee (see SI 13) will be at its sole discretion. Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 8 of 11

9 11. TIME LIMITS The time limit for each race, unless amended by the Race Officer by VHF, will be 60 minutes after the finishing time of the first yacht in each class. 12. SCORING SYSTEM AND FINISHING TIMES Results will be calculated on a points tally using a low score system (.75 for first 2 for second etc.) with all class/standard start - SI 9 - races to count. This changes RRS A4.1. At least 2 races using starts per SI 7 shall constitute a series with one discard. To confirm even if only two races are sailed, there will be a discard as per A2.1. In the event of a points tie in the series, the final result will be decided according to Appendix A8 of the RRS: A8.1 If there is a series-score tie between two or more boats, each boat s race scores shall be listed in order of best to worst, and at the first point(s) where there is a difference, the tie shall be broken in favour of the boat(s) with the best score(s). No excluded scores shall be used. A8.2 If a tie remains between two or more boats, they shall be ranked in order of their scores in the last race. Any remaining ties shall be broken by using the tied boats scores in the next-to-last race and so on until all ties are broken. These scores shall be used even if some of them are excluded scores. PROTESTS AND REQUESTS FOR REDRESS 12.1 Protests are discouraged, and have never been in the spirit of Oyster regattas, but, if necessary, protesting yachts shall advise the Race Officer at the earliest opportunity on VHF Channel 68 and at the latest within 30 minutes of the finish of the day s racing Protest forms are available from the Race Officer and completed protest forms shall be lodged with the Race Officer within one hour of the finish of the last race of the day Written protests shall be submitted with a deposit of 100, which will be forfeited if the protest is considered frivolous. The Race Officer may waive the requirements for the hail and the red flag in RRS 61.1(a). 13. ARBITRATION Sailing Instruction 13.4 states: The international judge will offer arbitration discussions instead of a Protest Committee hearing when appropriate. Here are some explanations how this will work: Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 9 of 11

10 If there is an incident on the water that raises questions regarding the RRS or the Notice of Race or the Sailing Instructions and no protest or a protest is filed or penalty declared, competitors are encouraged to file for a Rules Clarification Discussion with the judge. Members of the Regatta Committee are also entitled to file for such a discussion. The procedure for such a discussion is as follows: One or two representatives of each boat who have been on board while racing will meet with the Judge. Based on the evidence given by the representatives, the Judge will offer an opinion about the incident and how the rules should be applied for the incident, and as to what the protest committee is likely to decide, for example: o no boat will be penalized for breaking a rule, or o one or more boats will be penalized for breaking a rule After the judge has offered his opinion, a boat may take a post-race scoring penalty which is 20% in accordance with SI 10.6 and, a boat may ask to withdraw her protest (if there is one). The Judge may then act on behalf of the protest committee in accordance with rule 63.1 to allow the withdrawal. If necessary and appropriate, the Regatta Committee may modify these procedures at any time during the event. The place penalty % for a decision agreed with the Judge through arbitration is 20%. 14. RACING RULES & COACHING The International Judge and if time permits, the Race Officer will hold briefing and discussion sessions daily before racing to review the racing of the previous day and to help guide participants in the racing rules of sailing. 15. COMMITTEE VESSELS The Committee boat is a Rodman 42 foot motorboat and will be identified by an Oyster Regatta flag. Full details will be given at the Skippers Briefing. Additional vessels, which may be used by press, photographers, film crews etc, which are not under the jurisdiction of the Race Committee will be described at the Skippers Briefing and/or by the Race Committee by VHF. 16. EMERGENCIES In an emergency, yachts are requested to contact the Race Officer on VHF Channel 68. All emergency contact numbers and VHF channel(s) will be confirmed at the Skippers Briefing. Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 10 of 11

11 17. REMOTE CONTROLLED UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES Local bylaws prohibit the use of remotely operated DRONE aircraft due to the proximity of Palma International Airport. Please contact RCNP for further details of this exclusion. Note: If they are used while racing, this is "help from an outside source" as per RRS DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY 18.1 None of the Organising Authority, Race Officer, Race Committee or Regatta Partners shall be liable for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused to any person on board a yacht participating in the Regatta as a result of their taking part in races or any other part of the Regatta. Moreover, by entering the Regatta, the Owner of each participating yacht warrants the suitability of his/her yacht, its equipment and crew for any race in which it participates The safety of a boat and her entire management including insurance shall be the sole responsibility of the Owner/Skipper who must ensure that the boat is fully sound, thoroughly seaworthy, manned by a crew sufficient in number and experience who are physically fit to face bad weather. The Owner/Skipper must be satisfied as to the soundness of the hull, spars, rigging and all gear. He/she must ensure that all safety equipment is properly maintained, stowed and in date and that the crew know where it is kept and how it is to be used The Owner/Skipper of each yacht participating in the Regatta bears full responsibility for the conduct and good behavior of their crew and guests for the duration of the Regatta Neither the establishment of these conditions, nor their use by the Organising Authority and the Race Officer, in any way limits the absolute responsibility of the Owner/Skipper. The crew is nonetheless advised to satisfy themselves as to the experience of the skipper and the adequacy of all safety equipment and insurance arrangements It is a condition of entry that the Owner of each yacht participating in the Regatta accepts this disclaimer of liability on behalf of himself / itself and the yacht s crew and agrees to indemnify the Organising Authority and the Race Officer and the other members of the Regatta Committee against any claims and demands of any nature whatsoever made against any of them by any person participating in the Regatta on board his/her yacht. 19. ATTACHED DOCUMENTS A. Oyster Palma Regatta Fig 1 - Palma Bay B. Oyster Palma Regatta Fig 2 - Distance and Range C. Oyster Palma Regatta Fig 3 Offshore D. Oyster Palma Regatta Fig 4 - Start Area E. Oyster Palma Regatta Fig 5 - Port de Palma End of Sailing Instructions. Sailing Instructions - Oyster Regatta Palma 2018 page 11 of 11